Ashwathama takes the heads of the sons of Pandavas and happily approaches Duryodhana. Duryodhana dies seeing the heads. Fearing the Pandavas, Ashwathama, Kripa and Kritavarma all take different routes from the warfield. Bhimasena chases Ashwathama and defeats him in a fight. Ashwathama then invokes the Brahmashirostra and releases the same. Krishna and Arjuna also arrive there at that moment.
Krishna then tells Bhima and Arjuna about an earlier incident. When Krishna was once meditating on the sea shore, Ashwathama approaches him and asks him for his weapons. Ashwathama fails to even lift one weapon of Krishna. When asked, Ashwathama reveals that he wants the weapons to kill Krishna himself and make Duryodhana the ruler of the world. Krishna smiles and sends off Ashwathama.
Ashwathama prays before the release of the Astra that the entire Pandava clan should be destroyed by it. Arjuna, under the influence of Krishna, releases the very same astra after praying that all life forms, including Ashwathama, should be safe. The combination of the two astras is potent enough to destroy the Universe. Hence, Lord Veda Vyasa appears in the sky and stops the two astras midway. He chastises the two for invoking that weapon and orders them to take it back. Arjuna immediately obeys and does so. Ashwathama is unable to withdraw the weapon. Lord Krishna then reveals that Ashwathama had lost his Brahmacharya due to the tacit promise made to Duryodhana earlier about marrying his wife. Hence he is unable to withdraw the weapon.
Lord Veda Vyasa then orders Ashwathama to surrender the divine gem on his forehead. Ashwathama hands over the gem to Bhima. The gem grants miraculous powers and liberation from hunger, thirst and diseases. Ashwathama pays a heavy price. Krishna then asks him to divert the weapon so that at least one offspring of the Pandavas survives. Ashwathama accuses Krishna of trying to save his sister's son becomes adamant that he will direct the weapon at Uttara's uterus so that the unborn Parikshit is killed.
Lord Krishna then declares that no matter what Ashwathama does, he will save the offspring of the Pandavas and assures all that Pandava clan will rule the world for a 1000 years. He curses Ashwathama that he should roam around the earth in dirty robes, with a stinking odor and full of wounds on his body. Lord Veda Vyasa also curses Ashwathama in the same way.
Ashwathama prays to Lord Vyasa that he should be able to see him whenever he desires. Lord Vyasa grants him this boon.
In the next Dwapara Yuga, the same Ashwathama will take on the role of "Vyasa" and divide the Vedas.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
